Council officials prepare for the arrival of Storm Aileen

Lancashire County Council is gearing up for dealing with bad weather expected with the arrival of Storm Aileen.
Bad weather is expected with the arrival of Storm Aileen.Bad weather is expected with the arrival of Storm Aileen.
Bad weather is expected with the arrival of Storm Aileen.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for severe wind affecting the county in the early hours of tomorrow as well as a yellow warning for heavy rain.

Storm Aileen will bring a brief spell of very strong westerly winds with gusts of 65-75 mph during the early hours of Wednesday.

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The strong winds are more likely to affect central and southern parts of the county, but people across Lancashire are advised to be aware.

According to Met Office advice, longer journey times by road, rail and air are looking likely, with possible restrictions on roads and bridges. Damage to trees and perhaps buildings, as well as power cuts are expected. Flying debris and large coastal waves are possible, and these could lead to injuries.

Heavy rain is expected tonight and early tomorrow morning. This may cause flooding on the transport network, with spray and difficult driving conditions, due to the combination of rain and wind.

The county council is gearing up to keep the county moving in the event that trees and other debris block roads, and in the event of surface water flooding, and is asking people to consider the conditions before travelling.

Met Office advice during severe wind includes:

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• Not to drive unless really necessary, and to travel in daylight hours if possible.

• Not to touch any telephone or electrical wires that have been blown down or are still hanging.

• Keep vehicles clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences.

• Check on vulnerable neighbours.

Phil Durnell, head of highways for Lancashire County Council, said: "We're well prepared for whatever the weather holds for us with the arrival of Storm Aileen.

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"Ahead of the high winds, which are forecast overnight, we're ensuring that our highway teams and external contractors are ready to deal with incidents such as roads being blocked by trees, as well as any other maintenance that may be needed.

"We're also ready for wet weather which may accompany this, with our teams well prepared and equipped to keep the roads moving, or respond to flooding if necessary."

Any problems on the roads should be reported to Lancashire Highways on 0845 053 0011.

If there is an immediate risk to life please call the police by dialling 999.

For regular updates on the weather:

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• Check the Met Office Severe Weather Warnings: www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/warnings/#?tab=map

• Follow the Met Office on Twitter: www.twitter.com/metoffice

• Like the Met Office on Facebook: www.facebook.com/metoffice